Man held in deaths of mom, sister, baby

Heather Rawlyk

Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004 | 11:16 a.m.

A 23-year-old man was arrested Monday night in connection with the slayings of his mother, sister and infant nephew at their southwest Las Vegas condominium.

Richard Joseph Lentino was taken into custody after his mother, Elaine Lentino, 46; sister Megan, 21; and 1-year-old nephew -- were found dead Monday afternoon. Police said they appeared to have stab wounds.

Richard Lentino was charged with three counts of murder and booked into the Clark County Detention Center Monday night.

Metro Police Homicide Lt. Tom Monahan said a co-worker of Elaine Lentino went to the home about 1:30 p.m. to check on her after she didn't show up at work that morning.

The man found the door ajar and stepped inside. He immediately saw Elaine Lentino's body on the floor and called 911, Monahan said.

A Metro officer arrived at the home, in the 3900 block of Starfield Lane near Fort Apache and Flamingo roads, and discovered the bodies of Megan Lentino and her 1-year-old son in a separate room, Monahan said.

While the cause of death is still to be determined, Monahan said two of the three victims appeared to have several stab wounds each.

Monahan said he believes the victims had been dead for less than 24 hours from the time they were discovered. Autopsies were pending this morning.

Neighbor and friend Aline Moran fought back tears as she recalled the last time she spoke to Elaine Lentino.

"We were just laying out by the pool the other day, talking about work and the baby," Johnson said. "Elaine was telling me how happy she was and how much she loved that baby. She was telling me that the baby was getting big and that he was such a good boy.

"I just don't know who could do this," she said before Richard Lentino was arrested.

Richard Patricia, who has lived next door to Elaine Lentino for five years, described the victims as "a friendly family" who never appeared to have any problems.

Elaine Lentino "was a wonderful woman who worked hard to provide for her children," Patricia said. "They have been wonderful neighbors. Whoever did this is sick. How could you kill a baby -- an innocent little baby?"

Patricia said neither he nor his wife heard any commotion coming from next-door in the past day or two.

"We didn't hear anyone screaming or any fighting or anything going on over there," Patricia said. "My wife is in the house crying right now because she thinks she was home when this happened, but she didn't know. Everything's been quiet.

"We heard nothing that would leave us to expect something like this could have happened there."

The last time police had been to the house was October 2000, when Richard Lentino, then 19 years old, reportedly got into a verbal argument and shoving match with a 43-year-old man, Sgt. Chris Jones said. Lentino was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor battery in that case. The outcome of that case was not immediately available this morning.